This easy Pumpkin Cake has three layers of super moist, spiced pumpkin cake, made completely from scratch. The whole thing is finished off with a maple frosting and decorated with mini pumpkin candies.
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake
This gorgeously stacked cake is the BEST PUMPKIN CAKE YOU WILL EVER EAT. I know, that’s a big claim. But it’s really true – just read all the comments or photo reviews on Pinterest.
My family has been making this pumpkin cake recipe for years. It has been tried and test and approved every time! This cake is perfectly spiced, extra moist, and coated in a sweet cream cheese frosting.
If you’re looking for the perfect fall cake to get your baking fix in, give this recipe a try. I promise you won’t be dissapointed.
Key Ingredients
There are a few important ingredients needed for this pumpkin cake recipe to be a success. Here’s a quick overview with my notes. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list with amounts.
- Pumpkin pie spice – Technically this is optional but I like to use pumpkin pie spice as it’s a great combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. You can substitute it with plain cinnamon if that is what you have on hand.
- Vanilla extract – Make sure you use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
- Canned pumpkin – Like most pumpkin baking recipes, you want to use pure canned pumpkin puree. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling as they are not the same thing. This pumpkin cake recipe uses an entire 15 oz can of pumpkin, so no worries about wasting or having any leftovers!!
- Vegetable oil – You can also use canola oil. If you are against oil in cakes, you can substitute apple sauce in its place. However, know that the cake texture will be fluffier.
- Milk – Any kind of milk will work.
How to Make This Pumpkin Cake
You’ll be surprised to know that even though this cake looks fancy, it’s super simple to make! Here’s how:
Make the Cake
- Prep your tools. Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl/stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla, pumpkin, and vegetable oil.
- Add dry ingredients and milk. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk.
- Bake. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool. Remove pans from oven and place in freezer for 45 minutes to cool. (This step is optional, you can let the cake cool on the counter instead if you prefer.)
Make the Frosting and Decorate
- Cream butter and cream cheese. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add flavorings. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon.
- Add confectioners’ sugar. Beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth.
- Assemble the 3 layers with a thick layer of frosting in between each layer. Then apply a thin crumb coat* on the top and sides. Pop back in the freezer to harden the crumb coat for about 10 minutes.
- Apply one final thick and even layer around the outside of the cake. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
What is a Crumb Coat?
A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting called that seals in stray crumbs before a second frosting layer is applied. Remember to chill the crumb coat before applying the second layer of frosting.
Crazy Tips to Keep This Pumpkin Cake Moist
- Bake this cake at 300°F. Unlike traditional cakes, this pumpkin cake recipe is baked at 300°F. Baking a cake at a lower temperature slows the rapidness of the leavening, which prevents a tall dome from forming on your cake. It also keeps the cake extra moist since it doesn’t rise too much or too quickly.
- Cool it in the freezer. This helps to stop the cooking process much quicker and keep the cake moist.
Decorating Your Cake
For the frosting, I added a quick cream cheese icing that is flavored with cinnamon, real maple syrup and vanilla extract. It is the same frosting that I use for my pumpkin sheet cake.
However, if you prefer, you can use a classic cream cheese frosting. The combo will still be delicious! To create the swirls on the outside of the cake with the frosting, I use the round end of a rubber spatula and swirl it.
Once your cake is frosted, I like to use pumpkin candies, fresh sprigs of thyme and a few pepitas for decoration. You could also use chocolate shavings or even a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.
Want to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes With This Recipe?
When I originally posted this recipe people would often ask me: Can I make cupcakes with this cake recipe?
The answer is: YES! You can! In fact, I did it for you! I love this cake so much that I have even made it into cupcakes: Pumpkin Maple Cupcakes!
However, I will tell you, I personally love the layer dream cake just a little bit more. It stays moist and has the perfect amount of frosting-to-cake.
This Pumpkin Cake is one of my most popular pumpkin recipes ever. It is second only to my favorite Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins. Everyone comes back and makes it year after year for their families and that is the greatest compliment I could ever receive. I promise everyone is going to LOVE it and beg for the recipe!
Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup whole milk
- 12 oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl/stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla, pumpkin and vegetable oil. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove pans from oven and immediately place in freezer for 45 minutes. (This keeps the cake moist by immediately stopping the baking so the cake does not continue to bake when you remove it form the oven.)
- For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth.
- Assemble the 3 layers with a thick layer of frosting in between each layer. Then apply a thin crumb coat on the top and sides. Pop back in the freezer to harden the crumb coat for about 10 minutes.
- Apply one final thick and even layer around the outside of the cake. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Here is the original photo for the Pumpkin Dream Cake! Just in case you came here from Pinterest, this is the same recipe! I updated the post in August 2018, but the recipe is still the exact same!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This cake turned out fantastic. Yes, it is baked at a low temperature and yes put this right into the freezer. The results are amazing. Show stopper for any fall gathering. Make the day before and this will not disappoint.
Thank you!
Could you make these into cupcakes?
Yes! Here ya go! ;-)
https://thenovicechefblog.com/pumpkin-maple-cupcakes-with-cinnamon-cream-cheese-frosting/
No pumpkin pie spice in the ingredient list!! Thank goodness I noticed before I added in the dry ingredients… Pumpkin cake wouldn’t be the same without the spice!
Hi Tracy! I actually don’t include pumpkin spice in the cake recipe, but it can always be added!
I’ve made the cupcake version and it was delicious and a huge hit at my daughter’s baby shower end of October.
I am so looking forward to making this cake for a crowd and I would like to make it in a 9×13” pan. Has anyone done this? I can’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Yes, it will work! Will just need a little longer baking time!
Simply the best.
What size are the cake pans you used.
3 8-inch cake pans. You could also use 9-inch cake pans, they will bake quicker though, so keep an eye on them!
AMAZING!! Such an easy quick cake-total hit at Thanksgiving this year! Thank you for sharing this recipe! Certainly making it again-not just a holiday cake ♥️
Wow, this cake turned out GREAT. My husband requested a pumpkin cake for his birthday and this was perfect. I opted to use applesauce instead of oil because I’ve had trouble keeping my cakes fluffy in the past, so anything that can help is great in my book. I also used oat milk instead of regular because he’s lactose intolerant. Can’t even tell. It stayed moist for days. He says he wants this every year now!
So glad he loved it! Tell him Happy Birthday!
I want to make organic pumpkin cake,so van I avoid the sugars
A friend sent me this recipe and it sounds awesome. I don’t use vegetable oil. Can you tell me a replacement?
Thank you
Another mild oil of your choice or melted butter.
Just made the pumpkin cake last night and it’s good but because of the low temperature I had to leave it in over an hour. The problem with that was that I had walked away too near to the end of it being done and got busy doing something else so I’m going to make the cake with frosting for Thanksgiving and I will pay very close attention to the time. It’s a good cake recipe but you need to really pay close attention to it.
Can I make this into a Swiss roll style?
Hi Brianne! I’m sorry, that is a very different preparation of this cake and I have not tried it to be able to recommend it or not. Good luck!
My family had been craving pumpkin. Pumpkin like real pumpkin, not artificial flavoring. The man did this top the charts! I made this cake and OMG!! Amazing!!! The cream cheese frosting, not too sweet pairs perfectly with the super moist cake. Thank you so much for sharing.
Regards
Wristerr
I made this cake exactly as per the recipe with the cream cheese frosting for Thanksgiving this weekend. My family (14 of us kids included) is raving about it! They’ve said it’s better than pumpkin pie, and was the highlight of their Thanksgiving meal. Blown away!
Regards
Danish
The cake turned out absolutely amazing! The texture is so moist and the butter cream is yum! Thank you for sharing it ❤️
Hi! Just made this cake. My cakes did not rise as much as the picture shows. Hope it still turns out well. Any ideas what may have happened? Followed recipe exactly and watched the video. Thanks!
Just curious if you left all ingredients out till they eere room temperature before doing this? Because that happens to me when I am in a rush and dont give the cold ingrediens time to get to room temperature before making the cake. Just thought incase that wasnt considered, maybe it could be the cause.
Ok so I hardly ever leave comments but I HAD to for this. THIS IS SO GOOD!!!!! OMG. I’m making it for a customer order and I don’t want to send it out the door. So so so good! Keeping this baby handy for all the pumpkin cake needs. THANKS!!!
So glad you enjoyed it Leanne!
Can you possibly give me the cooking temperature and time if I made a two-layer (9 inch) cake? I do not have 8 inch cake pans. I am new here, but have made a few of your recipes and LOVE THEM. Thanks!!
Hi Kathleen! I would start checking them with a toothpick around the 45 minute mark!
Great. Thank you!
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Thanks for sharing With us, it is really delicious cake. So good.
I absolutely love this recipe and have made it several times, but I have never had enough batter to make those three huge layers. I suggest doubling the recipe if you want to replicate the photo.
Hi Barbara,
I love this cake too. I noticed no person answered in your comment so I will. A crumb coat is the first layer of frosting you placed on the pinnacle and sides of a cake. It commonly is very skinny and it prevents the crumbs from the cake moving into the very last layer (2d layer) of frosting you placed on the cake. That manner no crumbs will appear for your frosting while the cake is finished. Good luck!
I made this cake for a birthday party and it was a huge success! I was astonished at how much people like what by looking at ingredients may seem like a pretty simple cake. This cake is seriously delicious! The first time I made it was for the first Thanksgiving I spent with my husband’s family, and I’ve been making it ever since for the past 5 years.
It definitely gives me a watery mouth. I wish i wasn’t so bad at cooking/baking stuff.
wooo nice cake
woww nice cake, i hope i can make this cake… delicious cake
I made this cake for a birthday party and it was a huge success! I was astonished at how much people like what by looking at ingredients may seem like a pretty simple cake. But that’s the thing, it’s so simple to make yet it delivers so much on taste and texture. Lovely, amazing, best cake I’ve had were some of the comments I got. Some attendees sought me out specifically to congratulate me. So yes in closing you are accidentally right about this cake. Thanks for the recipe. I recommend it wholeheartedly!
Absolutely **
Not accidentally. My predictive text got away with it
I’m planning on making this cake next weekend! Looks fantastic! Couple of questions – it seems like a lot of baking soda – is not too much? (I’ve read a good rule is 1/4 tsp per cup). Also, I though baking soda should have an acid with it – is it ok that there is not or should I mix in lemon juice or replace some white sugar with some brown sugar? I hate questioning but just want it to be perfect for a friendly dessert competition
Hi Olivia! If you read the comments above, you will see that this recipe is perfect just as is. I would not change or reduce the amount of baking soda.
Thanks! Will keep as is! Excited to try it and hope it turns out like everyone else’s!
This was the best cake ever! I’m super picky about my cakes because they have to be extremely moist for me to like them. This cake was perfect! My whole family loves it! I will definitely be making it again!
This pumpkin cake is so delicious and it reminds me of the carrot cake I made recently. It tasted yummy. :)
Do you bake all 3 round cakes in the same oven? I have a double oven and wondered if I should bake two in one oven and one in the other. Will that change the baking times??
Can you use a tube pan instead of 3 layers. What temp. For a type pan?
There is too much batter. You will need to use two tube pans. You would bake it at the same temp.
Made this pumpkin cake tonight. No other words than incredible!
i will try this soon looks tasty …
True Dream Cake! Looks so delicious.
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merci pour votre idée, belle passion
merci pour votre idée, belle passion
This cake is delicious!
could you use 2,,9×13 pans instead,,
very good information given by your blog.
This was so luscious and dense but for me…the frosting was just too rich and sweet. I will make it again but make a whipped frosting. I’m also going to try it with walnuts and raisins in it…I think that would be so good! Thank you for the recipe…everyone loved it!
This cake is delicious! Just wondering if it could be made in a bundt pan ? What would be the baking time?
Thanks for sharing your thought with us!
This cake is seriously delicious! The first time I made it was for the first Thanksgiving I spent with my husband’s family, and I’ve been making it ever since for the past 5 years. They like it so much my brother-in-law talked about it in his best man speech at our wedding 2 years ago!
First of all – YOU are my “go to” for all my cakes recipes! I can’t bake all the time but when I do I really desire it to be an “event” for whomever I am baking for. From my husband, to kids and grandkids and friends (because of your recipes) I am starting to get a delicious reputation. Lol. Anyway, my question is this: I am wanting to make 2 bundt cakes to create the shape of a pumpkin using your pumpkin dream cake recipe. Will the bake time be 35-40 minutes as the standard bundt cake? Any other suggestions or advice are welcome.
Allysen
Hi Allysen! Thank you!
Yes it will take about the same amount of time to bake as any bundt cake. I have not tried it in a bundt cake pan, but it should work! Just keep a close eye on it as it bakes!
Thanks for sharing your thought with us!
please see this
I made this cake for my mom’s retirement party and it is delicious! Everyone loved it. I also candied pecans for the top.
nice one
Is 300 degrees the correct temperature?
Yes.
Can you freeze the individual cakes ahead and frost on the day they’re being served?
Yes! Wrap them tightly in saran wrap. And then do a second wrapping in more saran wrap or foil. You don’t want to them to dry out.
Hi there, I’m getting ready to make this cake for probably the 6th year straight. We just figured out my youngest has dairy intolerance and I’ve got subs for everything except the icing. Have you tried to make a dairy free version with any of your cakes that come out well?
Hi Mickenna!
I have not tried a dairy free version, but I hope you can figure it out for your kiddo! I do know that some people use a tofutti version of cream cheese that they say is great. Maybe that might work for this frosting!
Your blog really helps your visitor all the time.
Ok, it’s been years since this was posted but I love this cake and my birthday is coming up. Guess what I am baking.
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I had a good bit of icing left and I added some ground clove to it. The clove added a delicious spiced flavor that tastes exactly like eggnog. I will be using it on my Gingerbread Mini Bundt Cakes.
Hey, ya now how sometimes you use a new recipe and find that it’s too dry, or dense, to sweet, or not sweet enough and you think of what you are going to tweak to make it better next time? Well this recipe ain’t one of those. It came out perfectly incredibly delicious the very first time! It is very moist and oh so tasty! I just baked it in a mini bundt pan (reduced baking time to 15 minutes) today as a test batch in preparation for Thanksgiving and I won’t change a thing! Now to go give my neighbors something to be thankful for. I can’t keep them, I’ll end up eating them all!!!
thank you
Hi. Can you use fresh pumpkin instead of tined?? Have lots of fresh pumpkin left over as it’s Halloween
Yes! Just puree it well!
This was an amazing cake, thank you!! Do leftovers freeze well? Thanks :)
Glad you enjoyed it!! I haven’t tried it myself, but people have reported back that it does freeze well if wrapped tightly. Good luck!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I surprised my big in my sorority with it and it was such a big hit! The cake was so moist and tasted amazing!
Yay!!! Love to hear that!
This awesome recipe made my day i am gonna try this for my next weekend party.
My new favorite pumpkin recipe! Only added 1 thing, crushed BACON on top! Yummmmmmm
Thanks for the recipe!! I made this for a birthday at work and everyone LOVED it. I left out the pumpkin pie spice. Several coworkers offered to pay me to make it for a birthday or their Thanksgiving.
Happy birthday. The cake looks delicious. https://www.ytechb.com/control-computer-android-smartphone/
This was such a wonderful recipe! The cake was perfectly moist and the icing was delicious. I love this recipe and was easy to make. Thank you!
Would this frosting hold its form if I piped on some embellishments? And how long can this frosting sit on the cake at room temp? Will it slide off or is does it have pretty good staying power? My sons school is a dessert social coming up and I’d like to make this cake. It sounds amazing.
Hi! It can hold up to lazy decorations, like easy swirls, but it is not a super great frosting for things like roses and stuff.
The cake can easily sit at room temp for a few hours.
Hope this helps some!
Why is there a different recipe for the cupcakes? Can you not use the cake recipe to make cupcakes? I don’t want to throw away pumpkin if I don’t have to.
I made this for my grandma’s 80th birthday yesterday and it was a HUUUUUGE HIT!!! I followed the recipe exactly and there wasn’t even a crumb left. The freezer trick was amazing and I’ll be using that from now in with layer cakes! Thank you so much Jessica!!!
Yay!! That is awesome!! Tell your Grandma congrats on 80! That’s wonderful!
Your cake looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
Hello, I was going to make this cake for my son’s birthday since it’s the day before Halloween. Do you think I could get two 9″cakes plus 12 cupcakes from the batter? Also, is the frosting thick enough to hold its shape? Thanks in advance :)
Thanks for this informative article
THIS IS THE BEST PUMPKIN CAKE I HAVE EVER HAD. I can’t wait to try your Banana dream cake. Thank you!
This sounds wonderful. I am going to make it today. Has anyone tried it with coconut oil vs vetable oil? I did go through all the comments and have not seen this question asked. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I will have to go to your blog and check out your other recipes!
Hi Lorraine! I haven’t tried coconut oil, but if you do try it, please report back how it turns out for you. Thanks and good luck!
Hi, I love this recipe! I originally used it two years ago for my baby shower cake and it was delicious! This year I had another baby shower and instantly thought to make it again, however after two attempts it did not come out at all like it did the first time! It was more bread like and dense. Not super moist and fluffy like it originally had cAme out. I triple checked the recipe and don’t know what i could’ve done wrong? All my ingredients were fresh and I’m pretty sure I followed the directions. I will be trying attempt #3 today bc I’m still craving that delicious cake I had 2 years ago. Help please!
That’s so strange! I wish I had an answer – I have not change the recipe at all. Once I made this cake and accidentally read the amount of butter wrong and added too much and it made the cake super dense. Maybe that happened? Or maybe your active ingredients are no longer good? I wish I could help more, but I’m really not sure. I promise the recipe is 100% the same!
I totally just did the same thing! Somehow I accidentally put the butter in twice! It wasn’t until I went to make my frosting that I realized what I had done! The cake tastes good, but SUPER dense!!! ♀️
Hey Jessica I just tried your recipe an the icing is fabulous!! But the cake was not lighter or fluffier it was thinner because I used the 3 9 in pans in stead an it was kinda like a pumkin pie type texture is that normal
Hmm, it definitely shouldn’t be pumpkin pie texture. Is your baking soda still active? Did you beat your butter and sugar until light and fluffy?
Hope I can help you diagnose the issue!
One question: Have you ever made this cake in 9inch rounds instead of 8? That would make it not quite so tall….which appeals to me because the pieces aren’t SO large. I would assume we would just decrease the cooking time a little. Oh, one more question: what do you think about buttermilk instead of milk? Too much on the moisture/density scale?!
I’m a baker so this one is going in my book! My family loves really good icing so I think I will at least 1 1/2 times the recipe because this doesn’t look like enough for a 3 layer cake in my house!! Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Hi Terri!
Yes, you could do 9 inch pans! And yes, expect just a few minutes less on the baking time.
As for the buttermilk, I think it would be too heavy for this recipe. This cake is already very dense/moist and doesn’t need the help. :-)
Hope you try the cake – looking forward to your thoughts!
Hi Jessica! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Do you have any specific recommendations on the type of maple syrup you use??
Thanks!
Hi Klint! I use a good quality pure maple syrup – any brand will do!
Looks delicious, however it would look better if you just levelled the cake as well. The layers would fit tighter together and then it would look more finished and easier to ice.
I know it’s a nit picky thing but as a cake decorator it drives me crazy not to a levelled cake
Hi CakeladyD, I hate wasting cake. I think it’s personal preference, level it or don’t, either way it’s delicious.
I normally level mine. Then I take the cake I cut off and mix with some of the leftover frosting and make cake balls covered in white chocolate. So yummy!!! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
What do you think of buttermilk in place of milk? Do you use whole milk? Thanks! I am anxious to try your recipe.
I recommend whole milk. I would not use buttermilk as it’s already very dense/moist cake and doesn’t need the extra thickness of buttermilk. :-)
Do you think I could use a bundt cake pan instead?
Baking in a 325 oven for around 55-60 minutes?
Hi Adriana, I haven’t tried it in a bundt cake pan. If you do, please share how it turns out!!
Is there anything better then this?????
Thanks for this recipe – so good!
Thanks for the time and your love this is amazing
Thanks
Great stuff, i love it
Thanks
Found this post via Pinterest…made just now with a few alterations and just have to say the recipe is simply wonderful!
I used this cake as my wedding cake actually in 2014. Naked cake style with powdered sugar and flowers on top. I am so glad we insisted on a wedding cake that looked AND tasted good! I remake it every year on our wedding anniversary and it remains my favorite.
I have made this in the past and it’s always a winner! Tonight, I made it dairy-free using margarine and coconut milk and it tasted amazing! Just wanted to let anyone know who was wondering how it comes out dairy-free!
Awesome! Thank you for sharing the swaps you made and how it turned out!!
Hi Jessica! I just found your pumpkin dream cake recipe and am super excited to make it for thanksgiving! I only have 9″ round cake pans though. I’ve searched through ALL of your comments and have scoured the web for an answer but can’t find one. If I don’t have 3 8″ round cake pans do you think I could divide all of the batter into 2 9″ round cake pans instead? Keep the temperature the same just bake it longer? I’m really hoping you will write back! I would be so very appreciative! Love your blog!!
Hi Vicky! Yes, you should be able to make it in two 9 inch pans, just keep an eye on it as it bakes since it will take longer! Hope you make and enjoy it for Thanksgiving!
Okay great, Jessica! Thank you so much for replying! I’m actually most concerned with keeping the texture the same as your recipe. I was debating wether it would be better to make a 2/3 recipe in 2 8″ square Pyrex pans or a full recipe in 2 9″ round metal pans. I’m really trying to reproduce that perfect crumb I see in your beautiful photos. I appreciate your advice! Your input is invaluable! Thanks again!
Loved this recipe! I made the cake for my boyfriend’s family dinner and they all raved about this cake for weeks. I was wondering if I could put this recipe on Allrecipes.com (or if you have already submitted it?) so I can keep it with all my other baking recipes. I’d want to make sure you get all the deserved credit, though. Thanks!
I assume the cake needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese icing, correct? I need to make cakes for my son’s birthday to accommodate food allergies, so fridge space is at a premium. :)
Hi Kate! Yes, I refrigerate it and then before serving it let it warm up for about 15 minutes before cutting it. :-)
So, this recipe was one of my very first pins on Pinterest. Since then, I have made this cake 7 times. It is my go-to, wow-everyone, not-want-to-take-it-because-i-want-it-for-myself cake recipe. I use a bundt pan and add some food coloring to the frosting to frost it like a pumpkin. I usually score some aesthetic points for that. :)
Also, when I am attending a large function, I’ll double the recipe, do two bundts, then make it one large pumpkin with the halves together.
Thank you for lighting up my sugary world with this fabulous recipe!
I LOVE to hear that! Thank you for coming back and commenting Elisa! If you make it again as a pumpkin, I would love to get to see a picture. It sounds adorable!
I love the pumpkin dream cake, I’ve made it with my chocolate pumpkin cake and it was a favorite in the room. But I was wondering if the recipe could be made into a pumpkin bread?
Hi April! I have not tried it myself, but think you could. It would not be pumpkin bread though, I think it would just be pumpkin cake in bread shaped form. Pumpkin bread is usually denser than this cake.
Made this for my friends and family and they all loved it! It was very simple to make and a huge success!
Hello, thanks for the recipe! I made this Christmas morning and everyone in my family loved it! I did add a couple teaspoons of cinnamon and a little ginger and nutmeg for my own preferences, I like pumpkin spice :) your recipe turned out beautifully!
So glad you liked it :-)
This cake is baking in the oven as I type this. The batter was so light and fluffy I can’t wait to see how it turns out!! I’m going to serve it with whipped cinnamon cream!
Just wanted to thank you for this recipe. This will be my 3rd Thanksgiving in a row making this for family. I don’t think I’m allowed to show up without it!
All of the reviews look amazing, I really want to make this but would like to make it dairy free. I know which dairy free cream cheese I will use but I was wondering if you think that using earth balance butter and almond milk will effect the bake much. Thanks!
Hi Rachel, I really wish I could help but I personally do not have experience baking without dairy. If you do try the cake, I would love to hear you results so I can help anyone else looking to make it dairy free in the future! Good luck!
Thanks for recipe! Made as cupcakes for a ministry dinner and turned out great! It does make around 30 standard cupcakes…I overfilled the first batch, may have been able to get 5 more cupcakes out of batter if I didn’t..but not much! Perfect amount of frosting for covering them too!
How does this cake taste like pumpkin when canned pumpkin has virtually no flavor, and there are no additional spices like nutmeg, clove, or cinnamon added to the cake batter?
I am sorry you feel that way, I love canned pumpkin and feel it has tons of flavor. You can always make your own pumpkin puree to use instead!
Hi! My name is Marina and I am from Russia.I came across your site via Pinterest. Just like your recipe and I decided to cook it on Halloween. Here’s a photo, I hope it will boot … Thank you for such a great recipe !!
http://s020.radikal.ru/i701/1511/5a/8a6f0f108703.jpg
This looks delish! Have you done this in 2 layers before? I’m thinking of making this for my families Thanksgiving feast, I just think 3 layers would be too much (but leftovers are yummy) ;)
Thanks!
Hi Colleen – since the recipe uses exactly one can of pumpkin, I have never made any less than the 3 layers. You can always divide down the recipe though!
best. cake. ever. the icing is the stuff of legends. i will make this cake for the rest of my life. thank you!
Hi !The cake looks very so good!!But , for the cream cheese 6 cups powdered sugar ,it’s a lot!!
Hi Jessica!! This looks soo good!! I’d like to make this in a bundt pan. Do you see any issues with that?
Hi Sue! I have not made it in a bundt pan, but I am sure it will bake just fine. However, you will probably have a little leftover batter!
Can I make this cake in a bundt pan?
Hi Sara! I have not made it in a bundt pan, but I am sure it will bake just fine. However, you will probably have a little leftover batter!
The only thing that is leasing the cakes in the freezer after you’re done baking . First off things are going to start to melt and second of all, I’ve never heard of anything like this before it just seems strange. After seeing that I am going to make this cake because it looks absolutely delicious and I’m going to do it without freezing the cakes and see what happens
I love your dream cakes and so does everyone else, so first, thanks for the recipes! I have a few questions though. The three that I have made all seem to be pretty dense (however very moist) instead of light and fluffy. I’m assuming this is how they should be, right? Don’t get me wrong, I really like how dense they are. My mom likes them lighter and fluffier, any recommendations on what I could do to make your pumpkin dream cake more so? And lastly, this is probably going alongside them being dense cakes, but they don’t seem to rise much. Especially the pumpkin dream cake. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong? For example the pumpkin cake pretty much didn’t rise at all, well, maybe a TINY bit. OH! And do you have cook times for your dream cakes for other sized pans? If so, could you list them? I have been doing layered tiers and basically just adding 5 min and checking, adding 5 and checking, etc, etc. Maybe for 7″, 9″ 10″ and 12″ (round and square)? Sorry for all the questions lol. Thanks SO much!!! LOVE your cakes and your blog.
Hi Lauren! Yes, they are meant to be dense/moist cakes. If you would like them to rise more, you can always try adjusting the baking soda/powder in the recipes to make them rise more!
Sadly I do not have baking times, but if you just keep watch and check them with a tooth pick when you think they look done you should be just fine baking them in any size pan!
Hello!! Could you put chocolate chunks in this cake?
do you think it would turn out okay?
Of course you can! :-)
This looks absolutely delish. I am definitely going to make it! Would love to know where I can find more of your recipes
love this! Im such a pumpkin fan and the maple butter cream brings it all together. Im making it for the second time tonight. First time I only got a slice :( it flew!!! Lol thanks for the recipe
Hello,
I made this cake about a year ago and I still think about it! My niece will be joining us for Christmas and we will be celebrating her 1st birthday. I’d love to make this for her party but am worried about fitting that in among all the other holiday activities.
Do you think I could bake it and freeze it during the “cool down” phase? Then thaw and frost the day of the party? As I’m tying this it’s not sounding like a great idea but I figured I’d check.
Thanks so much.
I actually had a friend do this recently and it worked out great! Just make sure to wrap it tightly with something like cling wrap and then foil. :-)
Hi, the cake looks so good but 3 layer cake is too much. Anybody know the right measurements/ingredients for this cake?? I would really appreciated. Thanks
Hi, these are amazing. I always make the cupcakes, at 300, they take way longer than 20 minutes. is that normal? Thanks!!
I just made this cake last night for our thanksgiving dinner! I did it at 300 but they were in there a little over 45 mins.
It looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it!!!
The print recipe feature is not working!! I’m so excited to try this recipe though!
Looks great, can’t wait to try it! But what is a crumb coat??
This cake is so good! I’m trying to get a start on holiday baking, can you freeze this cake after its baked and frosted and just defrost the day before I need it?
Hi, .
I was wondering I want to Make this for thanksgiving. . Do you have any suggestions for cooking at high altitudes?
Alright, so I made this cake tonight and baked it at 350 degrees (not 300 degrees) for 37 minutes in an 8″ pan. The middle was COMPLETELY uncooked. HOW IN THE WORLD did you get your cakes to turn out at 300 degrees?!?
I printed this recipe and can’t wait to try it. However, I ALWAYS bake my cakes (every single type) at 350 degrees. Most of the time they STILL have batter in the middle, etc. I don’t understand how these cakes can possible be done at the 300 degree temperature? Do you have a special over or something? Thanks!
I love this recipe but I am doing the cupcakes and they are not done in 20 min… it’s taking slot longer. Did I do something wrong?
I made this cake today for my birthday tomorrow. I only have two cake pans so I made a two layer cake and a dozen cupcakes. My question is about refrigerating them- sometimes I feel like my cakes/cupcakes dry out after putting them in the refrigerator. I “had to” taste test ;) a cupcake and it was perfect so I’m nervous that they will dry out before tomorrow. What are your thoughts on this?
Just made this cake. So wonderful. I added chopped pecans to the icing because I believe pecans should be in just about anything. A good addition for pecan lovers I believe.
This was fate! I was looking for a new pumpkin cake recipe for my twin sons’ birthday party (who are also born OCTOBER 12TH!)… I can’t wait to try it out!
A+++ recipe! So dense, but not heavy, spongy & moist. Thank you for posting this amazing cake!
No baking powder?
No, as the recipe shows, it is just baking soda!
I made your pumpkin cake but used a spring form pan instead. Took alit longer. Almost an hour. But it was a huge hit at my thanksgiving dinner. Thank you so very much!
I made this cake for a Halloween themed bake off and won 1st place! Everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, I was wondering about putting pans straight from the oven into the freezer… is the temperature shock likely to break my pans?
They definitely will not break if they are metal. However if they are glass (you still shouldn’t have an issue), but if you are nervous you can just set them on the counter too.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I made the cake & frosting for my husband’s birthday this week and it was the bomb. When my husband put the first bite into his mouth he said “this is my perfect cake”. So, we will be making it a yearly recipe.
I did omit one teaspoon of cinnamon for the frosting, I felt like one was just perfect enough.
Heyyyy girl! I just read your blog intro page, and I feel like i know you personally! lol i just wanted to say that your blog is super cute! My story is a little similar, in that i used to be horrible in the kitchen. I do a TON of baking now, and am finally making a dent in actual cooking lol… I made this pumpkin dream cake last year (like three times). And this time, i made them into cupcakes (oooh and i colored the frosting a turquoise blue/green color. so prettyyyy)! Your recipe works like a charm every time! Thanks for sharing xo
So glad you liked it!! :-)
Agh! I’m freaking out!!!!! This cake looks perfect after cooling off in the freezer. It smells of AMMONIA?! What the heck!!!!! I followed the recipe exactly! Well, besides the spices. Is it the baking soda? I didn’t double the recipe. I did it just as you said. Im 8months pregnant and have a heightened sense of smell. My pans were clean. I’m just SO bamboozled! I’m afraid to eat this. I have no cats and I was supervising the cake the whole entire time. Please help!
That is really strange! I hope it was just your pregnancy nose doing crazy things! I made this cake again this weekend for the twins baptism and it turned out perfect like always. I hope your cake ended up the same way!
I’m SO excited to try this recipe out. The batter was SO light and fluffy! I’m doing a pre-test for a cake I’m planning to make. Want to make sure this dream cake will fit the bill. The only adjustments I made was adding ginger, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon to the cake batter. My plan is to layer this pumpkin cake with cheesecake. It’ll be pumpkin dream cake, cheesecake, pumpkin dream cake, and cheesecake. Then cream cheese frosting in between the layers and of course all around the cake. The cheesecake will be baked without a graham cracker crust. If all goes well, this will be my go-to dessert for the fall season and replace pumpkin pies, pumpkin rolls, and cheesecakes :D I’m VERY excited. I made this to just try the cake, but seeing how much there is…..I’m going to have to make the frosting now. Subconsciously I knew this…but I talked myself out of making 1/2 the recipe.
This cake looks so scrumptious. But, I don’t understand about the crumb part and then putting on more frosting. The picture looks like it has teeny-weeny flecks in it. Can you please explain? Also, do you have a yummy lemon cake recipe?
Thank you!
Christine
The tiny flecks are cinnamon in the frosting. The crumb coat keeps chunks of cake from coming off with the frosting and getting mixed it. It is a classic cake decorating trick. If you do not wish to do it, it’s not a big deal. Will still taste the same!
And no, I sadly do not have a lemon cake recipe yet. But I am working on one! :-)
My partner sent me a text this morning saying ‘it’s official – that pumpkin dream cake is now my favourite’.
That’s a big call – I’m pretty sure it is the frosting that did it for him!
I didn’t have 3 cake tins the same size so used two tins (extra cooking time) and sliced each cake in half – making is a 4 layer.
Not only a hit with my partner, the team at work were super impressed also. This will become a regular!
I was wondering if insted of 3 layers I can make a bundt cake. I would like to make it for a school cake walk and want to make something different and delicious but don’t want to have all the work of a three layer cake for something won’t be consumed by us :)
I am assuming it would take longer to bake. Any suggestions?
I CANNOT bake to save my life.. something always goes wrong. However, this looked too good not to try, so I gave it my best shot. I got everything together, got the cakes in the oven, and then my fire pager went off (I’m a firefighter) so I had to abandon the cakes with 18 minutes left. I just turned off the oven and left the cakes sitting in it, hoping the cooling of the oven would coincide with the baking time of the cakes and leave them cooked, but not overcooked. I came back from the fire and the cakes were perfectly cooled and separated from the sides of the baking pans and actually came out. I was able to frost them without losing half the cake into the frosting. DELICIOUS!
I made this cake last night and it was AMAZING. I followed the recipe exactly (I did hand mix the batter, though, and I used an electric mixer for the icing). I made it in two layer and made cupcakes with the rest. Wow wow wow! The icing is sweet, but I think it balances out well with the pumpkin cake which is not overly sweet itself. I think this is going to be my yearly fall cake… you know… the one I make months before it’s even Fall.
I will be making this in Colorado springs does anyone know if I will need to make any adjustments to the recipe, and if so, what would they be? Thanks so much can’t wait to try it, just hoping to avoid any high altitude disasters!
What a great platform for such nice information Have a Look Keep up the good work
Hello
congratulations I hope you have many more anniversaries.
It looks like a fantastic cake and I hope to make it one day but where I come from pumpkin does not come from a can it grows on vines and is available all year round.
If using real pumpkin how much should I use?
Your Help with info for this ingredient would be very helpful thank you :)
p.s come to New Zealand one day I am sure you and your husband would love it :)
Best cake I’ve ever made. Everyone loved it. Great recipe!
Oh Jessica on another note I forgot to tell you my daughter also has an Oct 12 birthday & my mom wanted me to name her Jessica, being that I had to many friends that named their baby girls Jessica _ I named my daughter Julie! But I now have a cousin & a niece named Jessica & my daughter’s sister in Law is also a Jessica.
I made this for my BF’s 65th birthday this week & our morning coffee group went out for lunch, well you should have seen the oo’s & aww’s when we cut into it and the yumm’s when everyone started eating it! Our waitress wanted a piece & then came back & said, ” I don’t know what that cake it but it sure is the most delicious I have ever had. Can you tell me what it is & how to make it?” ( She brought me back her email & I send her the link after I returned home.) But then another waiter came out & said the owner wants to trade a piece of Cheese cake for a piece of your cake. I brought a small piece home for my DH – he loved it & took the only very small piece with said cheesecake to work the next day shared a bite of the pumpkin with co-worker. now the only problem I have is my Hubby wants another cake made for the rest of his co-worker friends & everybody wants the recipe shesss! Can’t a girl have her own secrets! Thanks for this recipe!!
So I’ve already commented on how I made this for Dad’s birthday last January, and he still talks about it. Yesterday I asked him what kind of cake he wants this year, and he asked me to make this one again! Here goes!
It’s imperative to use an electric mixer when adding the flour and milk. We mixed it by hand and the cake was so dense it was inedible. We had to throw the entire frosted cake in the garbage! What a disappointment after all the time and labor of love.
Amazing! My family loved it, especially the icing (which also makes a tasty dip!)
OMG!!! Just finished eating this cake and it was amazing! I’m an American living in Italy and I miss all the flavors of America. This was a taste of America in every bite!!!! I can’t wait to taste the other dream cakes. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your awesome recipe! I made it this week to share with my in-laws! It was a HIT!!!
I made this last night and took it to our family’s Thanksgiving dinner today. It was delicious! Everyone loved it!
Just made this! I decided to make it tonight as a trial run for tomorrow (thanksgiving). Um, so far so good! The frosting is to die for! I did NOT think it would taste that good! Unfortunately I guess I didn’t hear the timer on the cakes so I’m just hoping that they are still nice and moist, they looked it! Either way It will get perfected tomorrow! Just want to say though that this recipe is EASY. anyone can make this cake! I also don’t own a kitchenaid, just your standard old school hand beater and it didn’t take too long to make everything.
I made the banana dream cake last week and the pumpkin today…just amazing!! Keep sharing your awesome recipes. ..love them!!
Have you ever made this in a bundt pan? I’m thinking of doing that tonight and I’m wondering what you would suggest as a baking time and if I need to halve the recipe, etc.
I have never made it in a bundt pan, so I sadly have no advice. If you make it in one – I would love to hear your experience!
This cake is absolutely delicious. Sadly, mine didn’t come out as pretty as yours but it is fabulous!!!
I had trouble with this recipe. I put it in the oven at 300 for 40 min and when i went to check it, it was still basically cake batter….
Seriously debating making this for Thanksgiving. Anyone else adding this to their menu?! :)
Thank you for this recipe! I received so many compliments when making it for a friend’s birthday. So delicious!!
This cake is delicious! I baked it for my father’s birthday dinner, and had it requested again just a few weeks later by my brother for his own birthday. There’s a spiced pumpkin bread I also make during the fall that my family likes, so I added a heaping teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to the cake batter. The first time I filled it with frosting as written, and while it was good, I tend to be a “frosting on the outside of cake only” person. (Although the frosting is delicious–I snuck a spoonful or two as I was decorating the cake!) For the second cake, I filled the layers with diced pears poached in an unfiltered cider reduction with a little bit of cinnamon, and it was amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this cake for the third time tonight, so I felt compelled to let you know how much I love it. I made it for my husband’s birthday last year (Oct. 20). We loved it so much I made it again for Thanksgiving. I made it this evening for a pot luck lunch tomorrow, and I know I will be making it again for this year’s Thanksgiving. It has become my go-to recipe for when I need to impress!!! Thank you so much!
I am trying to make a pumpkin chocolate dessert for a potluck and this recipe looks amazing. Would adding chocolate chips to this cake be dangerous?
I am in love with this recipe… and your photos… are astonishing!! I desperately want to try it out. What I want to do is sandwich a cheesecake in between two layers of this cake but wonder if it is too delicate?? Would the weight of a thin cheesecake and another layer of cake squish the bottom layer? Any input/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
I think it is sturdy enough to hold up a cheesecake layer! If you try it, I would love to see a photo! :-)
This looks amazing! I shared your recipe in my latest post about Thanksgiving cakes. I hope you don’t mind! : )
http://momelite.com/thanksgiving-cakes/
THIS IS THE BEST RECIPE I’VE EVER USED! IT TASTES JUST LIKE SPRINKLES CUPCAKES!
I have a quick question about the frosting. I am diabetic and pure maple syrup is not a good idea for me, would it take the same with regular syrup or sugar free? Or would it be alright without any syrup at all? Thank you :)
I made this for a fall festival a few weeks ago and everyone LOVED it! I had to hurry and sneak just a half of a piece so I could even taste it! It came out beautifully as well, I was so pleased. I did add a little bit of nutmeg, clove, and ginger just bc of preference, but other than that I followed the recipe to the T, even put the pans straight in the freezer (which I had never done before). Also I didn’t need nearly as much icing as the recipe made (didn’t stop us from licking it out of the bowl though!!) and I added a little bit more cinnamon and maple syrup to the icing as well. I made this cake the evening before the event and it was probably even better bc it sat a day (in a cold room in the basement). I have had many people ask me for the recipe bc they liked it so much!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I am making it again for Thanksgiving and hope it comes out as well as it did the first time!!
P.S. I LOVE your site! You’re recipes are beautiful!
Hi – new to your blog and made this wonderful cake last weekend. It was a hit! And, I’ve never made a cake from scratch before. I just did two layers and used the remaining batter for cupcakes. Can’t wait to check out more of your recipes! Thanks again!!!
I just made this cake with a friend and I will be making it again for Thanksgiving and again, and again. It is a DREAM – it is so amazing!! I have also been looking through your other recipes to figure out what to make next. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the recipe!!!
The best cake evef! Thank you!
Thanks so much for this amazing recipe! I’ve made it 3 times already, and I rarely make cake.
Just made this as my husband’s birthday cake. I trimmed the sides down a bit (one of my pans was slightly smaller then the other two) and what I tasted of the trimmings was great! This is also one of the few cake + frosting combos I’ve made where I didn’t feel like there was too much or too little frosting. I can’t wait to slice this up tomorrow!
I just made this cake and it turned out beautifully! So thick and moist with a nice crust. LOVE this recipe :)
Thank you!
This cake is super yummyyyy…super moist and the frosting yummm…my friends loved it….the best cake I’ve ever made so far….thanks for sharing the recipe….never thought a pumpkin cake could be sooooo deliciousss
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! I brought it over to our friends’ tonight as part of our Halloween celebration and it was a big hit : )
I have a tiny freezer and I don’t think the cake pans (or cupcake pans if I decide to go the cupcake route) will fit in there. Do you think it would be okay if I popped them into the fridge instead?
Yup – a fridge will work just fine. Enjoy the cake!!
I used this recipe to make cupcakes for a Halloween party, delicious! Just a FYI it makes more than 24 cupcakes. I managed 34, but I overfilled the first 12 with 4 tablespoons of batter which was a little too much. I think if you stuck to about 3 – 3 1/2 tablespoons you would get 3 dozen.
Glad to hear it Michelle! Thanks for sharing a total number of cupcakes. I get that question a lot! :-)
This cake looks delicious! Tomorrow I’ll bake this cake ;)
I’ve made it twice. The first time exactly as directed and it was amazing. The second time I made it I converted it to a vegan recipe for my vegan coworker and she LOVED it. I thought it was a little different than the real deal, but it was still good. She even asked for the recipe.
Vegan?? You rock! I would definatly miss the cream cheese frosting, but that’s awesome that it can be made vegan!
Dream cake was awesome! Made it twice so far, both times was a huge hit.
My mother in law made this for my b-day yesterday and we all LOVED it! Thank you for sharing!
Happy belated birthday!! Glad you loved the cake! :-)
Can this be made with 2 9 inch rounds instead of 3 8 inch? I’d love to make this for a party this weekend, looks amazing!!!
Hi Allison! Yes, it can be done in two 9 inch cake pans! Just be sure to watch your baking time, it will take a little longer to bake.
These are outstanding!! Made them as cupcakes for a group today and got wonderful reviews!! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
This cake turned out beautifully. Moist and flavorful. It really encompasses the fall mood. I loved the sponge most. This recipe would make good cupcakes too. Will make again!!
oh BUT the frosting came out amazing so worse comes to worse… we are just eating that for dessert haha
So I don’t know how big your freezer is but I had to stack my pans to get them to fit at all and not only did ONLY the pan get cold but they completely crumbled when i attempted to take them out of the pans after they were in the freezer for 45 minutes. What is your trick??!! THIS is why i only make cupcakes… ughhh
How strange! I have never had them crumble.
You do not have to put them into the freezer, I have made it and not had room in my freezer. So I just let them cool on the counter.
I prefer to pop them in the freezer because it stops the baking and cools them down really fast, but they can definitely also be cooled on the counter.
However, I also know many people who love to make this recipe into cupcakes. Fair warning – one batch makes over 30 regular sized cupcakes…so you might want to make half a batch! ;-)
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! We have just had our first slices of this fabulous cake and we are in pumpkin heaven. We love the beautiful, tender, and moist cake layers which at the same time are not overly heavy or dense. I am so going to serve this at Thanksgiving instead of pumpkin pie.
Thanks for the rave review Dee! I agree – this is the perfect centerpiece for the dessert table at Thanksgiving. ;-)
Hey! I just made this cake and wanted to let you all know how amazing it was. It was perfectly moist and really such a dream. A big hit with everyone who tried it! I just wanted to say thank you for giving us all such a tasty cake recipe! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes :) Also, I love the tip for sticking the cakes directly in the freezer. I had no idea and that made such a difference. So, thanks again!
So glad you liked it!! :-)
I love every single one of your dream cakes!
Since baking soda is used and not baking powder, can buttermilk be substituted for milk? Thank you!
I would not recommend using buttermilk in this cake because it is already so moist and dense as it is.
You can always try – but I recommend making it as directed!
I meant last night not tonight on my previous comment. :)
I just made this cake tonight and am enjoying it with coworkers right now. It’s delicious! Thank you for a great pumpkin cake recipe! I’m always worried that baked pumpkin recipes will turn out too and mushy because of the pumpkin, but this is still cakey. The best part of this cake is definitely the frosting. That frosting is amazing!
Thanks!
Sydnie
Glad y’all liked it Sydnie!! :)
While I love to bake and have been for years – I’ve never really had the patience to make a proper layer cake
I decided to for the first time for my son’s first birthday. I did two cakes in 2 tiers – one with your banana dream cake recipe and the other with the pumpkin
They both turned out amazing but wow the pumpkin cake was something else! super moist! and even 4 days later it has remained that way!!
Thank you for inspiring me!!
Glad it worked out well Megha! And happy belated first birthday to your son!!
Just made this cake this morning for thanksgiving desert!
I only had 2 round pans so made muffins with the left over batter also added 2tbsp pumpkin pie spice to the cake batter mix! SUPER tasty, moist cake!!!
So glad you liked it Christie! Happy late Thanksgiving! ;-)
So looking forward to making this for a fall bridal shower but was hoping to make it in cup cakes. Wondering about how many this recipe would make?
Hi Kerri, I wish I had an answer for you. I know many people have made it as cupcakes with success – but no one has told me how many it made. My guess would be at least 24 cupcakes!
If you make it in cupcakes, please come back and share how many it made for you! :-)
I just saw this on Pinterest and was betting there’d be a cake mix. I guess it just looked too good to be true (I don’t have anything against cake mixes – we just don’t them over here ;)) and was so so happy to see it’s really homemade. YAY! :) It’s the most amazing looking cake EVER.
And happy 26th birthday!
I’ve tried this recipe twice. The flavor is wonderful, but the cake turns out really heavy and wet on the bottom. What could I be doing wrong? I baked it at 300 degrees F for 42 minutes. ???? Thank you, Cheryl
That is strange Cheryl! What kind of cake pans are you using?
It is a moist and dense cake, but it should be that way throughout…not wet on the bottom.
omg we have the same birthday! Happy birthday in advance~ <3
P.s: :D love this recipe! i want to try it~
This cake was so delicious! Moist, flavorful and totally satisfying. I will definitely be making it again — soonish. :) Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Glad you loved it Natasha!
It appears that the temp & bake time are both underestimated. I made this twice–second time increasing the temp by 25 degrees & bake time by 5 minutes–and both times the cake was badly under-cooked, even though it tested done with a toothpick. I’m thinking 350 and 50-55 minutes is more realistic. The very outer edge of the second attempt, where it was cooked all the way, was quite good and I intend to give this recipe one more shot with the revisions to time & temp.
Hi Susan,
I actually think there must be something off with your oven. Do you have an oven thermometer?
I would normally worry it was the recipe, but this recipe has SO many comments from people making this cake with great results. I can’t imagine it being off by 25 degrees and 30 minutes in just your oven!
Hi! This looks so yummy and I’m totally making it this weekend for thanksgiving! Just a question, would it be ok making it a day in advance or do you recommend day of? Thanks and thank you for sharing the recipe!!
Hey Rebecca! I think it’s fine to make the day before. I personally like to try to make my cakes the day of, but this is one exception. ;-)
So my birthday is October 11th too!!! I saw this cake and said I must make it for my birthday. I am very excited to taste it when its done. Happy Birthday!
I am 9 months pregnant, and I have been craving pumpkin!!! So I made this tonight and Oh. My. Goodness!!! It really hit the spot, delicious!!!! Thank you!! :D
Hi, I was wondering if I could do this cake in just two layers. I do not have 3-8 inch pans. Or would you suggest cutting the two layers in half to make 4 layers? Hope to hear back!
You can make it in 2 layers! Just watch your baking time to make sure it bakes all the way through!
My 13 year old Grandson and I just made this “dreamy cake”. He took one bite and said “Mamaw, I think this is a winner, a prize winner. we need to enter this into a cake contest.” Thank you for this great recipe.
Aww! That’s adorable! I am so glad y’all both liked it. ;-)
hello
as a pumpkin lover this version of layer look so yummy ,I will bake this week end
thank you for sharing
so excited for this fall ‘dream’!! :)
I do have a question though — if I am using actual pumpkin and not canned (we went to a farm last weekend!), is it the same amounts? Or is the measurement different with this substitution?
Thanks!! mary beth
Sometimes homemade pumpkin puree has more water in it than canned pumpkin. If it seems more watery, I would squeeze the pumpkin puree with a cheesecloth or tea towel to try and get all the excess moisture out of it. Then if it is still too watery, try cutting back on the amount of milk.
Hope you enjoy it!
Do you use the plain canned pumpkin or canned pumpkin w spices in it? Thanks!
Plain canned pumpkin. Don’t use the one that says pumpkin pie filling — it is sweetened and will make your cake way too sweet.
Enjoy the cake!
Wow! This cake was to die for, but I’m surprised no one is commenting on the six cups of powdered sugar in the frosting. The cake is already so sweet that a tangy cream cheesy frosting would cut that and make it a really rich treat. I used only one and a half cups of powdered sugar, and it was amazing. I don’t know that I could eat that frosting if it had six cups.
Hi,
This cake sounds delicious but I have a question about the freezing part. I have never heard of doing this, and am not questioning the why just the how. Do you literally take the cake from oven to freezer or do you cover it with foil? Take it out of the pan and then wrap and freeze? Just wondering. Thanks in advance I know it is going to be good. :)
I just take the cake (pan and all) and put it directly into the freezer. I set it on the metal rack so it doesn’t melt/hurt anything.
Hope you enjoy the cake!
This cake looks super moist! I don’t have 3 round cake pans. What is it temperature and baking time if I use a big round cake pan?
Hi Cecilia, I do not have an answer for you on baking time. I only make it in layers — never as one large cake.
I would keep it at the same baking temperature and you will just have to keep a close eye on it for baking time.
Good luck!
I don’t usually leave comments but I made this for the group of firefighters I work with, and it got such raving reviews from them that I had to leave a review. So A+ for a fantastic recipe! Will be making it again!
Hello, I Pinned your pumpkin dream cake and it looked delicious!! Cant wait to make it. I know it will be an instant love thing..lol Loved your blog and your are funny and great to read. Thank you for a yummy recipe and sharing! please keep sharing. I can’t wait to make this and lay in bed and watch a movie, or cup of coffee with a slice or have it as a dessert after dinner, I’m so sorry, i am too excited to make this! Have a great day and keep sharing
Brittany, mom of 3, Pittsburgh, Pa
Someone asked earlier if this recipe can be adapted to a 9×13 baking dish, but I didn’t see a response. What changes, if any, need to be made? It looks delicious! Thank you.
Hey David! I don’t actually have any experience making it in a 9×13, but I have no reason to think it wouldn’t work. I know people make it into cupcakes all the time!
Just watch it closely – I have no idea how long it will take in a 9×13! :-)
Someone made this for our community group. It was so delicious! I am adding it to my round up of pumpkin recipes.
http://thethriftymommy.com/2010/11/22/thanksgiving-pumpkin-recipe-round-up/
Does this cake still work well even if you don’t put it in the freezer right away? I don’t have the room :(
Yup it will be fine. ;-)
Hey Jessica does it have to be just plain cut canned pumpkins or can I use canned pumpkin purée instead?
Hi Jacky – sorry if it was confusing above, but when I said: 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin -I meant the canned pumpkin pureé. You know – the orange can by Libby! ;-)
I just made cupcakes with this recipe… they’re delicious!! Thanks for posting it.
I am lactose intolerent (it sucks i know) so do you think this cake would tast just as good with either coconut or almond milk instead? I really want to make it, it looks fantastic.
I don’t have a ton of experience baking with vegan milks. I would recommend you use whatever you find works best for you as a milk sub in baking! Hope you enjoy the cake! :-)
This just looks amazing!! So making this for Thanksgiving! I have always wanted to do some sort of harvest “feel” cake for that holiday….this is the one!!
Hi! I tried this cake and it was really dense, like someone else said… like cheesecake. Delicious, though. I am making a 4 tier wedding cake and the bride WANTS this cake.
I am so worried about making an 18″ base.. do you have any suggestions for how to make this work? Bake evenly? I will try again this weekend and use more BS and more flour? Maybe it will be lighter?
Also, do you think I can make the layers and freeze them for a week? Maybe even with the icing on?
Also, do you think this can sit out during a wedding and reception? The wedding is October 19, so it should be cool here in Vermont, but I’m really worried. But this bride knows what she wants..
ANY help would be great. :)
Hi Carol – I am definitely not a wedding cake baker…so I really don’t have any advice on how to make it work for such a large size.
I do not know about freezing the layers with frosting on it. I would assume it would work like any other wedding cakes you make in that regard.
As for sitting out – I think it will be just fine! I have made it and let it sit out for parties on the counter for 6 hours before eating. No worries on that one!
Good luck!
HI, can’t wait to make this for my boyfriends birthday on Friday (we are pumpkin fanatics!) I’m taking him on a trip to St.Loius to go to the Budweiser factory (he also works for Budweiser) so I wanted to cover this delicious cake with fondant & make it a Budweiser cake! From reading comments I’ve seen that it is a “dense” cake but do you think it’s dense enough to hold fondant?
Hi Kate! Yes – I think it will hold up for fondant! :-)
yummmy thankxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi, just wondering if this will work in 9″ pans, as that is all I have…or should I just use 2 as to not have it flatten out as someone said previously. Also, I was surprised at the 300 degree oven temp, most cakes I bake are at 350 degrees. That is correct, right? Thanks
Yes, it can be made in two 9″ inch pans – it will just take a little longer to bake. Watch the cakes closely!
And yes, 300°F is the correct baking temperature.
Can this be made into cupcakes?
Hi Megan – yes it can! Enjoy!
Found this via Pinterest…made just now with a few alterations and just have to say the recipe is simply wonderful!
I made mine into cupcakes because I plan to take them to work tomorrow. I used gluten-free flour, added cinnamon to the dry mix and just used cream cheese, icing sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup for the frosting. I think the girls at work will love them as much as me!!
Oh, and I live in Australia and, as someone mentioned before, it’s pretty much impossible to find canned pumpkin here! Instead I did the same as I do for pumpkin pie: boil the pumpkin and mash. FYI for other Aussies wondering: I use butternut pumpkin (called squash in the US I believe) in my recipes because it is deliciously sweet (also, we don’t have much of a variety of pumpkins here and none of the othe kinds are suitable for desserts).
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe! <3
This cake was delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I made this for my Dad’s birthday way back in January, and he still talks about how delicious it was! Thanks so much!
So I made this cake yesterday and just had my first taste, and it tastes AMAAAAAZING…. It was a bit rage inducing last night though as it repeatedly fell over after I frosted it, and the frosting squished out the sides so the inside layers don’t have as much frosting in them as I would have liked. I ended up stabbing about 4 wood skewers in the cake and putting it into the fridge so that it would get cold enough to hold after the crumb layer was put on. It tastes so good, but I will never do it as a cake again. I will use the same recipe for cupcakes next time. Just for ease of icing. I followed the recipe exactly though as far as the cake and icing is concerned, and I wouldn’t change a thing!
Hmmm. I have never had a problem with the cake falling over. Were your layers uneven? If yes, next time trim off any uneven pieces to keep it from moving.
Otherwise, my other suggestion would be to make it into two layers instead of three for easier stacking.
Glad you enjoyed it!
this cake looks amazing! i dont have round pands though :( could i use same receipe to make cupcakes??
Yup – it works in cupcakes too! Many readers have tried it and left comments about the success! :-)
I made this cake yesterday, and it was fantastic! It will be on the blog this week sometime. Thank you for the inspiration!
Erin
When you talk about: “Then apply a thin crumb coat on the top and sides.”
What is the crumb coat? I don’t see that talked about any other place.
Thanks
The crumb layer is a really thin layer of frosting around the outside of the cake.
So put together your cake (with regular thick layers in the center) and then do a thin layer of frosting around the outside. Let the frosting harden a bit (pop it in the fridge if needed) and then put on the rest of the frosting.
They call it a crumb layer because it keeps crumbs from breaking off and winding up in your frosting.
Enjoy the cake!
Has anyone made this with chocolate milk instead of white milk? Sad to say it’s all I have. Not sure how it would taste. :(
I would not recommend making this with chocolate milk!
Just made this for my hubby’s Birthday tomorrow! Can’t wait to try it! Is there any trick to icing a cake? I always feel like I mess it up somehow.
A good crumb coat is my best advice! When you do a crumb coat, it makes you do two layers. So of course you won’t have any crumbs in your frosting, but also it makes a more even/thicker final look! :-)
Have you ever added spices to the cake itself? Or just to frosting?
The frosting is a cinnamon cream cheese frosting – so there are some spices in it. I truly find it perfect just the way it is, but you can always add pumpkin pie spices if you want!
Yum! We grow pumpkins every Fall and have a jillion pounds of pumpkin purée. It is always thinner than canned…any idea on how to substitute homegrown for canned?
I would squeeze the pumpkin puree with a cheesecloth or tea towel to try and get all the excess moisture out of it. Then if it is still too watery, try cutting back on the amount of milk. Good luck! :-)
Just found this on Pinterest and “OH MY” is looks good!! Adding it to my list of desserts to make! TFS!
How sturdy is the cake? Could it be used as a tier and used under fondant?
It’s pretty sturdy. However I don’t know how well it would hold up under fondant, because I do not personally like or use fondant. Good luck!
This cake sound delicious, will make it for Thanksgiving when all the family is here, or for my Birthday Oct. 10, yes I am a Libra too!
a birthday twin! I am a tad older than you though like in old enough to be your mother I am afraid lol. We won’t calculate how old I am in dog years. Looks like a great cake. Good enough to go off my diet for even although i will have to make it with gluten free all purpose flour
Happy almost birthday, birthday twin! :-)
My son, Judah, turned three today. We had some yummy pumpkin glazed cookies a friend made just a couple weeks back and by far they were his favorite. I decided to make a cake version of this new-love and came upon your recipe and blog. I followed your recipe completely and only tweaked the seasonings…made the cake pumpkin spice and plain frosting. It was a HIT!!! My little man had a wonderful cookie and LOVED this yummy cake! Thank you!!
Happy Birthday to your son Judah! I’m so glad he loved the cake!!! :-)
I made this last Thanksgiving, and it was the best pumpkin thing I have ever baked. My family was obsessed with it, and I ended up making 2 in one week. I can’t wait until fall to make this again!!
2 in one week? I think you and I need to be friends! Glad you and your family loved the cake so much!!
We do not get canned pumpkin in Australia where I live, what would be the best kind of fresh pumpkin to use and how much. I love the look at this cake and would really like to give it a shot at making it
Hi Sue! I would use a “pie pumpkin”. That’s what they are called here in the US. And I would just bake it down and puree it – that way it’s just like the canned pumpkin here in the states!
Here are some directions on how to make your own pureed pumpkin: http://foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-puree-recipe/index.html
Aptly named — this cake is a dream. Everyone I have served it to had the same jaw-dropping experience I did at first taste. I even ended up making it twice in one week. Thank you!
Thank you for your well-liked recipes that block.
Thank you so much for this recipe! Turned out amazing and got fantastic reviews from the family! Thanks!!
OMG I searched, ‘banana dream cake’ on your blog and came across this cake recipe and went *drool*! Will try this cake on a later date since I have to figure out how to substitute canned pumpkin, I haven’t seen it in my part of the world :) Your cake has such a lovely, inviting color, and I’m sure it tastes even better.
Tried this and LOVED it. I would use a little bit less flour because it was a bit too chewy for my liking, but other than that I will be making this again and passing around the recipe!
This cake was amazing. A lot of work, but well worth it. EVERYONE loved it. I was looking forward to see if you were going to make some sort of Christmas Dream Cake….:) Thanks again for the awesome recipe…it will definitely be a keeper for every Thanksgiving!!
Liana
I made this for the office, just added two things, I used the velcro baking strips around the pans and added apinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to the cake batter. This cake was so good….it was so moist, it was kind of like a cross between pie and cake. They really liked it and are already asking me to make it again. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
I made this cake for the first time for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a huge hit! Will definitely be making it again. Thank you so much for posting.
This is the first from scratch cake I have ever made & it was UNBELEIVABLE!!! Thanks for sharing this recipe! This will become a holday tradition for sure!!! SO dreamy! :)
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was great! A total hit with everyone, even my mom who is super hard to please. It was easy to make, the cake came out so moist and the frosting was divine. A keeper for next Thanksgiving as well. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Happy Holidays <3
I made this for Thanksgiving dessert yesterday and it was wonderful!! The whole family loved it and my son already requested it for his birthday cake next month. It was easy, super moist, pretty, and delicious!!!
Made this for Thanksgiving and LOVED it!!! Even my picky family loved this!
Your cake is now my favorite!! I requested it for Thanksgiving and my grandma wanted to try making it and had a blast! It turned out as pure perfection, thanks to your very clear instructions! Thanks for introducing me to my new favorite all time cake!
I made this cake today and it is amazing!! Best most delicious frosting!! It was so easy :) thank you for this amazing recipe!!
I am getting cold feet on making the other pumpkin cake recipe I was planning to use –especially as so many people think yours is great. But there are no spices in it! Any thoughts on how much of what spices you would uses to get that pumpking pie taste?
Feel free to add your regular pumpkin pie spices!
Maybe like a teaspoon of cinnamon, some freshly ground nutmeg and a pinch of ginger and cloves. Or you can just use pumpkin pie spice!
Happy Turkey Day! :)
I’m so excited to try this!!! Do you think the cake would be as good if I baked it tonight, assembled it tomorrow and it was enjoyed on Thanksgiving day?
I think it would be ok, but I think it’s best just one day ahead.
I am making this on Wednesday for Thanksgiving on Thursday. I will fully assemble it and store it in the fridge for 24 hours before.
Hope this helps! Happy Turkey Day! :)
OMG! This cake is amazing!!! I made it for my parents birthday and we devoured it. Making it again for Thanksgiving because everyone loved it so much. I’m salivating at the thought of eating it again!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
If I make this on Tuesday as cupcakes do you think they would be ok for Thursday? I will be gone Tuesday night and Wednesday night but want to take these to Thanksgiving on Thursday. Don’t think I will have any other time to make it. Would you recommend storing in the refrigerator? Can’t wait to give this a try! I am obsessed with Pumpkin!!! Thanks!
I am not positive on how they would hold up. I know when I make this cake, it is still awesome the next day…but it never lasts longer than that for me to know!
Also, cupcakes can sometimes dry out much faster.
I would say give it a shot and let me know how it turns out! Just make sure to store then in a super airtight container in the fridge.
The best cake I have ever made/eaten! Woohoo!
Awesome! Always so happy to hear that! :)
Can you bake this in a 9 x 13 pan?
I Faye, I haven’t tried…but I think it would work. It might be too much batter for a 9×13, maybe make 2/3rds of the recipe?
I made the c ake the other day using fresh pumpkin. I just cooked my pulp down, drained it and then pureed it. The cake was AMAZING
Awesome! Glad to hear it!! :)
This cake was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Made this for my hubby’s b-day 11/10/12. I added in a little pumpkin pie spice and just want to say this cake is absolutely AMAZING!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Yay! Happy late bday to your hubby!
I have fresh pumpkin that I have cooked down, can I just puree it and use it in place of the canned pumpkin?
Of course you can! :) Enjoy the cake!!
Ok, I made the mistake of making mine in (3) 9″ pans, so the layers were thin and I am guessing that is why my cake is quite dense. I really loved the flavor, so I am going to attempt again but this time in the 8″ pans. Should this solve that issue? Loved the frosting though!!
The cake is dense to begin with, it is not super light and fluffy.
If you like your cakes lighter, I would suggest upping the amount of baking soda in the cake.
This looks AMAZING! I have a question though– If I wanted to just make one layer, could I just easily cut the measurements in thirds or would I run into a texture problem? Thank you.
It will turn out just as great in one layer as it does in 3! :-)
I made this cake last night with fresh pumpkin….and oh my the cake itself is indeed dreamy!!! I could maybe go for slightly less sweet frosting, but it was still delicious!
looks great.
Thanks Jessica it looks so good my mouth is watering ! going to make it next week !!!
Hi Jessica I was wondering if the crumb covering is absolutely necessary . If so, what crumbs would I use?
The crumb layer is a really thin layer of frosting around the outside of the cake.
So put together your cake (with regular thick layers in the center) and then do a thin layer of frosting around the outside. Let the frosting harden a bit (pop it in the fridge if needed) and then put on the rest of the frosting.
They call it a crumb layer because it keeps crumbs from breaking off and winding up in your frosting.
Enjoy the cake!
Made this recipe into cupcakes today-SO GOOD! I changed my temp to 350 and baked for 20 minutes. I couldn’t wait for the icing to be made. I ate one as soon as it was cool enough to eat. Can’t wait to have another- with the icing this time. Thanks so much for such a yummy treat :-)
Hi! Your cake looks amazing!! But my friend and I tried to make this today, and we did the following changes: changed oil to applesauce, used raw sugar and whole wheat flour, and halved the amount of sugar (in an attempt to make them healthier). We also baked them into cupcakes…but when we took them out, they were nothing like yours :((( the tops weren’t smooth and they tasted exactly like cornbread! Please help us :( We really want to succeed in making such a yummy looking cake as yours! :(
our batter before baking wasn’t liquid-y at all..it was like a really really wet dough…is that right? :(
your cake looks so goood wah we’re so jealous!
Hi Misha,
The applesauce instead of oil, should have been an ok switch.
However, the switch to whole wheat flour and using raw sugar (and half of the amount called for) is what lead to such a different cake than the one the recipe makes.
If you really want to use whole wheat flour, try using whole wheat pastry flour. However, it still is not the same as when using regular all-purpose flour.
Also, raw sugar and granulated sugar are very different. The granule size and using half the amount will make the cake a lot less sweeter, which is why it was more cornbread like.
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out like you were hoping, I would suggest using regular sugar (and the amount stated) and all purpose flour instead.
If I make these cupcakes, do I need to adjust anything?
Just the baking time!
Can’t wait to make this for dessert on Thanksgiving!!
wow, this cake looks delicious! even the color is eyecandy :D
Congrats on your anniversary and happy birthday! (my anniversary is 10/9 and my bay is 10/13, close!). I baked this cake yesterday to celebrate another anniversary. It was SO good! I do have a question or two, however. I popped the cakes, pans and all into the freezer. After 45 minutes I removed them, cakes were stubborn about coming out, so I popped the cakes back into the warm oven (I had just baked sausage balls). The warm oven loosened the cakes back up and they came out. I waited for the cakes to cool back down before putting the AMAZING icing on. The cakes were dense, not high like your in the picture (all my ingredients were fresh, that’s the first thing I thought of). The taste was fabulous, but texture was so dense it was almost cheesecake-like. Any suggestions? And thank you!
Thanks Casey!
…hmm. That’s strange. It definitely makes a dense cake, but it shouldn’t have been cheesecake-y.
With everyone else having such good success with this cake, I am thinking it might have been one of your ingredients (or maybe even accidentally adding something twice?), or your oven? Do you have an oven thermometer? If so, I would double check that it is cooking at the degree it says it is!
Sorry you had some issues! :(
Just slid the layers into the freezer, I cant wait to taste!
Hi! Found this via Pinterest, and am in the process of making it right now, for my birthday, tomorrow!!
Happy Birthday Kelly!! I hope it’s a great day and the cake came out delicious! :)
If I wanted to make this in a bundt pan, would I leave the amounts the same? Thanks
You might not need all the batter, but it depends on the size of the bundt pan. So you can either make 2/3rd of the recipe if you think you need too, or if it were me, I would just make a few cupcakes/mini cupcakes with the leftover batter!
And when you say amounts, I’m not sure if you mean time as well…but it will need longer to bake if you are baking it in a bundt!
Met my soulmate at 18, and together and better than ever after 12 years! Pumpkin is his favorite. I do a pumpkin cupcake with cinnamon brown sugar buttercream that he adores, but I am eager to try this recipe. :)
Wow! I can just tell how moist this cake is by the photos alone! YUM!
I made them into whoopie pies and they were Ah mazing.. do you think you could subsitute applesauce instead of pumpkin to make an apple version??
Ohh love it! I love whoopie pies, what a great idea! :)
And as for turning it into apple…hmm. Not sure about that with the applesauce. Applesauce and pumpkin have such a different texture.
If you were to try it, I would use less milk (less moisture). And maybe slowly add the milk until you get the right consistency. I would also probably add some finely minced apples for flavor.
Let me know if you give it a shot!!
Just wanted to know what to use instead of ‘canned’ pumpkin.
Google “make canned pumpkin at home”.
You will need to bake a pie pumpkin, scrape it out of the shell, and puree it for the correct texture.
Hi Jessica, I have a question for you: when you put the layers in the freezer right after they come out of the oven, do you first remove the cakes from the pans, or put the pans in the freezer with the cakes in them? Thanks, and thanks for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
You leave the cake in the pan and pop it directly into the freezer. Just make sure you don’t set the cake pans on anything plastic that it could melt. :-)
Let me know how you like it!!
Just wanted to let you know I made this on Friday and my husband said it’s one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! I’ll definitely be using the freezer trick with all of my other cake recipes! I linked to your blog at http://www.usafpilotswife.blogspot.com because my friends and family just HAVE to try it! Thanks so much!
I love hearing that!! I’m with your husband, it totally is the best! :-)
this this will translate OK to cupcakes?
Yes, many commenters before you have tried them and had great success!
I made cupcakes as well, and but used a cinnamon cream cheese frosting without the maple syrup-I didn’t have any. I took them to work and everyone devoured them-they LOVED them!
Yay! I can’t wait to try them as cupcakes with all these cupcake successes!
Whoa, AMAZING! I did the cupcake version and EVERYONE loved them!! SOOOOO GOOD!
Awesome!! I am SO glad to hear they work as cupcakes too…just another excuse to make them again soon! ;-)
This recipe is amazing… so moist and delicious! I made it into cupcakes and baked them for about 18-20 minutes, then stuck them in the freezer to cool. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! I am so happy to hear they work well as cupcakes too! :)
This really is a dream cake! I live alone so I cut this recipe by 2/3 (which is evenly done) and baked 2 6-inch rounds and cut the frosting by even more. It baked up really quickly and produced the most light and fluffly cake. I really don’t want to share it it’s so good! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Girl, I know how you feel. I made the whole 3 layers and still didn’t want to share with anyone!! ;-) haha
Just wanted to chime in here that I saw this recipe on pinterest, and I’m actually making it for the second (!) time tonight. It definitely lived up to the hype. It is amazing. I added cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to the batter and then just omitted the cinnamon and maple syrup to make a plain cream cheese frosting. I took it into work and was an instant rock star among my co-workers. Thanks for the great recipe! It’s a keeper.
Yay! I love hearing other people loved it as much as me!
Your anniversary is MY birthday! Hehe… I also turned 25. Despite my roller-coaster-ish life right now, I feel like it’ll be a good year. Good luck with yours, and that cake looks AMAZING :)
Happy (late) Birthday to you too!!!!
I would love to make these as cupcakes….do yo see any issues with this translating into cupcakes okay?
Hey Lisa,
I was on a cruise when you asked this question! Sorry, I promise I wasn’t ignoring you.
Two people have commented since your comment and said they made them into cupcakes and they were divine! So no, I don’t think there will be any issues! :)
Happy belated anniversary and birthday!!!! Just bought my own copy of your mini doughnut book….this pumpkin cake recipe is worth dying for! You go girl and keep on going!
Happy birthday!!! Happy anniversary!!! This cake looks divine! :)
Seriously, girl. That IS brilliant planning on your part. Talk about a fun week in your house every year! What a gorgeous cake and a gorgeous way to celebrate. Cheers!
This seriously looks amazing and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I’ve never made a layered cake before, but I’m thinking this will have to be the first! Hope you had a great birthday!!!
this. looks. outrageous. :) & I know I already wished you a happy birthday, but I’ll say it again – HAPPY BIRTHDAY my friend! Cheers to the BEST year yet! ;)
I am making this for a girlfriend who lives 4 hours away and am wondering if the cake will be okay in the car for 4 hours? I could make the cake and just frost at her house if that would be easier?
I took half of this cake on a 3 hour car ride to Orlando, so I think it will be just fine! Just make sure it is really cold when you leave and pop it back in the fridge once you get there!
Enjoy!
um pumpkin dream? i want to place my head on a slice and take a little nap. this is seriously dreamy.
Happy Birthday!!! This cake is the perfect way to celebrate! And how cute is your Grandpa?
Happy, happy belated birthday to you Jessica! Mine was just the day after yours. Hope it was everything you hoped & dreamed. This dreamy pumpkin cake could certainly make my birthday a happy one! :) Thanks for sharing. Also… you were the cutest baby ever.
This looks fantastic!!! Happy Birthday!
Happy days, Love the kid pics :) and love this moist, creamy perfect looking cake!!
Jessica this looks truly heavenly! WOW, cannot wait to try it!
Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary!! This cake is truly a dream! It looks so moist and delicious!
That does sound like good planning on your part! Happy birthday and anniversary!
Could I use pumpkin pie filling in place of the plain canned pumpkin? I ask because the recipe doesn’t call for any seasonings I usually pair with pumpkin. Unless you think it doesn’t need it….
I would not recommend using pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is heavily sugared and would throw off the sweetness of the cake.
If you wanted to make this a pumpkin spice cake, just follow as directed and add in any seasonings (nutmeg, cinnamon, all spice, cloves) that you would like!
Happy (belated) birthday and anniversary Jessica!!!! This cake would be FABULOUS for any celebration. I am LOVING the maple CC frosting. :) I love layered cakes!
Holy yum – I think I’ll be dazzling my family by bringing this to Thanksgiving :)
Happy Birthday! You rock the polka .
Is it weird that I looked at that photo and, like a reflex, just said “oh, I love you.”
Just made this today. It is delicious!! Megan
Yay! So glad someone else made and loved it! :)
Happy belated birthday! Cake looks divine! x
Happy birthday and anniversary!!! Sounds like this year is one of the best with your cookbook on the way! This cake looks amazingly dreamy!
This cake looks absolutely delectable, and perfect for the autumn. Happy birthday and happy anniversary!
Happy Birthday. October 12th is my birthday too! I wish I found your cake yesterday and it would’ve been my bday cake – oh well next year!
Happy Birthday and Anniversary! My sister got married almost 5 years ago the day after her birthday. I always thought that was crazy that she was getting married the day after her birthday and never knew anyone else in a similar situation. Now I do! And she too loves that those two special days are back to back. BTW this cake looks and sounds amazing!
This is so sweet! Happy anniversary and happy birthday! I hope both are just fabulous. And if the cake is any indicator, I’m sure they will be! Enjoy your day!!
Cake looks amazing and happy birthday!
(I hit the button before I was done! oops!) I was going to add: I love your pics! I’m a huge fan of polka dots! And I wanted to add Happy Anniversary!
Happy Birthday!!
What a sweet blog post! I’ve been looking for a really good pumpkin cake recipe recently, so I may have to give this one a try.
Happy Birthday! :)
happy birthdayyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!
from méxico!!!
:)
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jessica!! Birthdays are the BEST! While I don’t have an anniversary yet, my birthday is December 30. So basically I party on my birthday, then wake up and party with the whole world the next night, right into the new year! :)
The cake looks fabulous and I can’t wait to buy your book! Hope you have an amazing day!
Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary and thank you for sharing your cake(s). :D
happy happy birthday! and happy anniversary! enjoy all the celebrating :)
i’m making pumpkin cake tonight but now you have me doubting which recipe to use; this looks incredible!
Happy Birthday!!! Mine is next week – Libras rock!
My parents were married the day before my Mom’s 22nd birthday, and they celebrated their 62nd anniversary this year. Happy Birthday and Anniversary! The cake looks so good, I will have to try it.
Happy Birthday! I have recently been following your blog and am completely smitten. It’s amazing to see someone my age with the same passion and love for food. Congrats on the cookbook and I’m OBVIOUSLY making this cake. and the banana one too! xo
Happy Birthday! Your photo makes me want to make this cake tonight!! :)
Happy birthday and anniversary! What an exciting time!
Happy Birthday!!! Your cake looks fantastic! And happy anniversary too!
Happy birthday to you!! And happy anniversary one day late. :) So much celebrating–and this cake looks like it can do the job. :)
Happy happy birthday and anniversary, Jessica! And just let me know if you need help finishing that cake :)
Happy Birthday and Happy (late) Anniversary! Oh, and congrats on sending in your second book manuscript! Lots to celebrate, eh? :-)
The cake totally looks awesome! I’m a sucker for pumpkin…I think I’ve already gone through 6 cans this fall. :-P
Happy birthday AND anniversary! What a great year for you:-)
Cake looks amazing!
Ahh what a cutie you were and still are!! Happy birthday and happy anniversary!! This cake looks ahhhh—-mazing!!!!
Happy birthday and happy anniversary! The cake looks perfect!
Happy birthday! And welcome to the 25 year old club :) This cake does look uber dreamy.
Happy, happy birthday! The quarter century mark is a big one but the best is yet to come :)
Your description did me in on this cake, pinned!!
i had just recently read your post and then i saw this polka dot-themed post on a another blog i follow and i just had to show you! i think you’ll like it.
http://greenweddingshoes.com/get-the-look-polka-dot-wedding/
happy birthday & happy anniversary!
I NEED those polka dot tights! NEED! :-)
Happy happy birthday and happy anniversary!! Fabulous planning indeed!
I’m dreaming of a bigger plate!
Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary!! I need to find a reason to make this cake – it looks amazing!
Happy Anniversary & birthday!!
That cake looks seriously amazing.
Happy Anniversary AND Happy Birthday! This cake looks absolutely fabulous. I got married just a few days before my birthday, too – definitely a smart decision. =)
Happy Bday and Happy Anniversary! And this cake DOES look like a dream…I have had my eye on your banana cake for ages, though. I love both bananas and pumpkin..actually made pumpkin banana bread b/c I couldnt decide! lol If you had to pick, which one do you love more?
This pumpkin one, hands down. I’m so in love with it!!
Happy birthday and happy anniversary! How fun that’s they’re so close together. Also, this cake looks amazing!
Does anybody but me think it’s strange that there’s no baking powder but 1 1/2 tsp of baking soda, considering that baking soda needs an acid to activate it and there’s no acid in the ingredients?
I don’t know a lot about baking soda, but my cakes didn’t rise at all. Haven’t tasted them yet…
I agree! Thought it was strange too and my cake didn’t really rise and it’s really stodgy. A bit disappointed ☹️
I used buttermilk instead of plain milk…it tasted great and nice texture and rise.
Happy birthday lady!! Your cake looks fantastic!
Happy, happy birthday, Jessica! I hope you have an amazing day filled with lots of sweetness and cake – this pumpkin one is TO-DIE-FOR!!
Happy 25th! I’ll be 25 in December and think this looks like a wicked-awesome birthday cake. And happy Anniversary too, girl! What an exciting couple of days :)
Happy Birthday/Anniversary, doll. This cake looks AMAZING — I am DYING to try it!!
And I love your polka dots. So darn cute.
It says put a Coat of Crumbs on Top & Sides , but never say’s what The Crumbs are from !! please Tell me What are they ? I made this Cake For My Pastors Dinner Tomorrow Celebrating 4o Years of Being Pastor at the Same Church I hope it will e Good Never had much Success With From Scratch Cakes !!!
Hi Barbara, I want to try this cake too. I saw no one replied to your comment so I will. A crumb coat is the first layer of frosting you put on the top and sides of a cake. It usually is very thin and it prevents the crumbs from the cake getting into the final layer (second layer) of frosting you put on the cake. That way no crumbs will appear in your frosting when the cake is finished. Good luck!